Golf putter with a shaft connected intermediate a spherical element and a head



Sept. 26, 1967 Filed July 15, 1964 J. E. BORAH GOLF PUTTER WITH A SHAFTCONNECTED INTERMEDIATE A SPHERICAL ELEMENT AND A HEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

JOHN E. BORAH ATTORNEY BORAH GOLF PUTTER WITH A SHAFT CONNECTEDINTERMEDIATE A SPHERICAL ELEMENT AND A HEAD Sept. 26, 1967 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1964 INVENTOR.

JOHN E. BORAH mqnw.

ATTORNEY FIG.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,343,839 Patented Sept. 26, 1967 3,343,839GOLF PUTTER WITH A SHAFT CONNECTED IN- TERMEDIATE A SPHERICAL ELEMENTAND A HEAD John E. Borah, 815 Mishawaka Ave., Mishawaka, Ind. 46544Filed July 15, 1964, Ser. No. 382,735 Claims. (Cl. 27380.2)

The present invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly to agolf putter having means thereon for assisting in proper and effectivecontrol of the ball.

In putting, it is important to determine, and hold the face of the clubat, the proper angle with respect to the ball, this usually being atright angles to an imaginary line between the ball and the cup, and tohold the head down and the eyes on the ball throughout the stroke.Various types of devices and shapes of putter clubs have been devisedand tried in the past for assisting in the positioning of the club atthe proper angle, and in maintaining the proper head and eye position onthe ball and club, but these devices have almost universally been eitherof such a nature that they actually interfered with the normal puttingstroke and aiming, or that they have a direct action on the ball andhence have been ruled illegal by golf associations. Further, these typesof devices have frequently had an unbalancing effect on the putter sothat optimum control could not be maintained throughout the stroke. Itis therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention toprovide a putter club having a structure and design such that it willgive substantial assistance to the golfer in positioning the club at theproper angle and in holding the head down and the eyes on the ball, without having any direct effect on the putting operation or in any wayinterfering with the normal stance, aim and stroke of the club.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf putter which hasoptimum balance throughout the stroke and which is so constructed thatthe weight and balance thereof can be varied in accordance with therequirements of the putter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a putter club havinga means for effectively controlling the angle of the club with respectto the ball and for obtaining the proper striking force of the club,which is so constructed that it permits versatility of the club undervarious putting conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a club having a meansfor assisting in effective putting, which is formed as an integral partof the club and retained in position on the club where it can be used bythe player in making a particular putt without contacting the ball orotherwise applying a direct effect thereto which would be consideredillegal by golf associations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple, easyto use means for assisting in holding a putter club at the proper angle,which does not prevent continued observation of the ball throughout thestroke, and which does not cause any distraction when its use is notrequired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a putter club which isparticularly useful to beginners in learning the proper stroke,including the correct movement of the club and hands, and in eliminatingerrors by making the errors more obvious to the golfer so that he canimprove his putting without the assistance of anyone.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a putter having the presentinvention incorporated therein;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the putter head andlower portion of the shaft shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the face of the head, showing aportion of the shaft extending thereabove;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of the head of the club and aportion of the shaft extending therea-bove;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view through the head of the cluband the lower portion of the shaft, the section being taken on line 55of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross sectional view similar to that in FIGURE 5,showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and to FIGURE 1 inparticular, numeral 10 designates a putter club having a head 12, shaft14 and grip 16, the shaft and grip being standard in construction anddesign. The shaft would normally be of steel, wood or fiber glass,joined with the head, and the grip of leather, rubber or plastic,secured firmly to the upper end of the shaft. For the purpose of thepresent description, the shaft and grip may be considered conventional,having the desired strength, flexibility and weight of a conventionalputter, the shaft shown being constructed of steel, tubing-like materialjoined to the head by any suitable securing means.

The head 12 consists of a body portion 20 having a flat, circular face22 and a flat, straight bottom 24 extending rearwardly at right anglesfrom face 22. The surface 26 extending rearwardly from face 22 isgenerally curved inwardly toward a neck portion 28 of reduced diameterto which shaft 14 is rigidly secured. The body is constructed of anymetal, preferably of aluminum, or of plastic and, in the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in the drawings, an insert 30 of brass orother material has been used to provide a harder and more wearresistantball striking surface.

In order to balance the body 20 and to assist in aligning the body 20and face 22 with respect to the ball, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, acounter-balance and sight element 40 is secured to the rear side of body20 by neck 28. Element 40 is preferably joined integrally with neck 28;however, it may be secured thereto by any other suitable means such as athreaded stem or the like extending into a threaded bore in the neck.The neck likewise is formed integrally with body 20, although it may beotherwise secured thereto if desired.

Element 40 consists of a hollow shell 42 of the same size as a standardgolf ball and, since it is intended to have the appearance of a golfball, it is provided with the usual pits or recesses 44 in the externalsurface thereof. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 5,the element contains a cylindrical chamber 46 having an opening 48through which spherical weights, such as lead shots 50, can be placed inthe chamber to vary the weight of element 40 in accordance with aparticular golfers requirement or preference. It is seen that the weightof element 40 and hence the weight of the club may be varied by placinga predetermined number of weights 50 in chamber 46, and this can readilybe varied from one putt to another if conditions require such changes;however, normally the golfer determines the most effective balancingweight required in element 40 and maintains that weight so long as he,personally, is using the club.

Element 40 may be solid, if desired, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, and apredetermined weight can be incorporated therein during themanufacturing of the club if the required weight for a particular golferis known. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5, a closure may be used inopening 48 if desired, and if the weight in chamber 46 needs to bedecreased, the closure is removed and the club inverted, i.e. with thehead at the top, thus permitting the weights 50 to fall from opening 48.

The present club is used in very much the same manner as any standardputter club, the one using the club initially placing it adjacent theball 60 as illustrated in FIG- URE 1 with the flat surface 24 on or nearthe green or ground. As the golfer holds his head downwardly and hiseyes on the ball 60, he will unavoidably see the corresponding ball-likefigure of element 40, thus easily aligning the ball and element 43, andincidentally, but importantly, aligning the face 22 at right angles to aline between the ball and the ball-like element 40. As the golferperforms the stroke, the balancing effect of element 40 permits him tohave full control over his stroke so that optimum accuracy of the shotand control over the ball can be easily obtained.

While only two embodiments of the present invention have been describedherein, various further changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A golf putter club comprising a head having a body with asubstantially flat vertical face of generally circular shape, a fiatsurface on the bottom side thereof, a neck spaced reaiwardly from saidface and being of a smaller diameter than said face, said body taperinggenerally inwardly from said face to said neck, a hollow sphericalelement of substantially the same size as a standard golf ball securedto said neck on the side opposite said body and having a hole connectedto the hollow interior of said element and having an axis on a line withthe axis of said face, body and neck, a plurality of spherical weightsin said element, and a shaft secured to said neck and extending upwardlytherefrom.

2. A golf putter club comprising a head having a body with asubstantially fiat vertical face of generally circular shape, a flatsurface on the bottom side thereof, a neck spaced rearwardly from saidface and being of a smaller diameter than said face, said body taperinggenerally inwardly from said face to said neck, a hollow sphericalelement of substantially the same size as a standard golf ball securedto said neck on the side opposite said body and having a hole connectedto the hollow interior of said element a plurality of weights in saidelement, and a shaft secured to said neck and extending upwardlytherefrom.

3. A golf putter club comprising a head having a body with asubstantially flat face of generally circular shape, a fiat surface onthe bottom side thereof, a neck spaced rearwardly from said face andbeing of a smaller diameter than said face, said body tapering generallyinwardly from said face to said neck, a spherical element ofsubstantially the same size as a standard golf ball and having an axison a line with the axis of said face, body and neck, and a shaft securedto said neck and extending upwardly therefrom.

4. A golf putter club comprising a head having a body with asubstantially fiat vertical face, a neck spaced rearwardly from saidface, a spherical element of substantially the ame size as a standardgolf ball secured to said neck on the side opposite said body, and ashaft secured to said neck and extending upwardly therefrom.

5. A golf putter club comprising a head having a body with asubstantially fiat face, a hollow spherical element of substantially thesame size as a standard golf ball secured to said body on the sideopposite said face and having a hole connected to the hollow interior ofsaid element and being on an axis on a line with the axis of said faceand body, a plurality of spherical weights in said element, and a shaftconnected intermediate said body and said element and extending upwardlytherefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,537,320 5/1925 Marsh 273--1672,957,696 10/ 1960 Warpotas 273167 3,260,525 7/1966 Ortel 273-171FOREIGN PATENTS 181,185 6/1922 Great Britain. 347,502 4/ 1931 GreatBritain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner.

R. J. APLEY, Assistant Examiner.

4. A GOLF PUTTER CLUB COMPRISING A HEAD HAVING A BODY WITH ASUBSTANTIALLY FLAT VERTICAL FACE, A NECK SPACED REARWARDLY FROM SAIDFACE, A SHPERICAL ELEMENT OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE AS A STANDARDGOLF BALL SECURED TO SAID